Heartland Masala: An Indian Cookbook From an American Kitchen

For a limited time we have copies signed by Jyoti Mukharji and Auyon Mukharji.

This is a heartwarming, approachable introduction to Indian cooking from Jyoti Mukharji, a physician who began teaching in her home kitchen and has since guided thousands of students.

Learning to cook only after moving to the United States and starting a family, she brings a beginner’s clarity and careful attention to detail to her recipe writing—making the book unusually welcoming for home cooks.

The collection of 99 recipes spans the breadth of India’s regional traditions, a range Jyoti considers essential for readers who may not yet know the country’s culinary diversity. The food is vibrant and varied, but the instructions are practical, precise, and designed for success.

Essays and original illustrations by her son Auyon add charm and warmth. His drawings are playful when they can be, practical when needed—for example, in breaking down techniques step by step. Together, text and art give the book an inviting personality that makes it as enjoyable to read as it is to cook from.

What might you cook? How about:

• Kachumbar, a cucumber, tomato, and pomegranate salad
• Ggoogni, chickpea curry with tamarind
• Baghare Bainha, eggplant with coconut and sesame
• Paratha, a layered flatbeard
• Adarak Nimbu Achaar, ginger lemon pickle

The result is both personal and wide-ranging: a book that conveys the generosity of a teacher and the richness of a cuisine.

Hardcover. Photo insert. Color illustrations throughout.